Fun Time Without Screen Time: Part 2

Today’s installment is part two on board games! My love of board and friends has not diminished and I hope that yours has not either. Remember, the essentials: food, drink, friends, games. Below I have three more examples of games that will make a great addition to your collection.

Betrayal Legacy

Last time, I started with OG Betrayal, which I listed as my favorite game. Well, let’s just say that both of these are. They are two separate games that are similar in a lot of ways, but not so different to where you need each one of them. It really just depends on your preferences. Betrayal Legacy has lots of replayability as well, but also adds a new dimension to the gameplay. As with many legacy games, you are building a story. It starts in 1666 and you and your friends play over decades (in game). Five people from different families enter the house and, just like in OG Betrayal, you explore a creepy house, hijinks ensue, and one of you is revealed to be the traitor.

Here’s where it’s different and why this Betrayal gets its own review: Each family has descendants that go back to the house, or possibly an older version of the most recent family member, assuming they lived, of course. The Legacy Deck ties the thirteen chapters of the story together and forms a cohesive narrative. I won’t go into more detail than that (SPOILERS!).

Additionally, some items can now be heirloomed. If you pick up an item in your travels through the house, you can claim it for your family which gives you extra perks. Others can still use it, but do not receive the same benefits that your family does. Take for example my family shotgun: other families may know how to use a shotgun, but we know all the tricks of this one and can use it better than you can.

Also, as you play the game some rooms, cards, and events are destroyed or added. This leads to different outcomes and a different game each time you progress the story. It also means that if your friend has Betrayal Legacy, it will most likely be different than the game you have developed. There are also new elements, like the Folium Infernum and there’s also an outside that you can explore.

Once the story has developed to the end, it becomes a completely customized replayable game with more than thirty haunts to play. So, let’s compare. The original has fifty haunts (one hundred if you purchase the expansion) and this one has only thirty-six, but it has the whole story to it. I played a friend’s copy through multiple chapters, and because I’m such a sucker for these games I plan to pick one up at my next opportunity, but realistically only one is necessary. Click here to purchase the classic with tons of replayability, and here to purchase an in-depth story with a customized game and a little less replayability.

Villainous

Love your Disney villains? This is the game for you. The original (there are expansions with more villains) allows you to play as Maleficent, Jafar, Captain Hook, Ursula, Prince John, and the Queen of Hearts. Each player has their own board, decks, and character piece. They also have their own objective and attack cards to use against the other players. The objective of the game? Obtain your goal while the heroes and other villains try to thwart you. As Prince John, try to obtain power tokens while Captain Hook tries to murder Peter Pan. The mechanics of the game work seamlessly for each person and allows the Prince John to screw with Captain Hook if he seems to be nearing his objective, and vise versa.

The detail of the game, from the artwork to the mechanics, is superb. The art work is personalized to each villain, as is the goal and mechanics. As each villain has their own goal and challenges, it’s almost like you’re playing your own game and hoping that the villains seated around you won’t foil your plan. The different characters have different difficulty levels and there are expansions that allow you to delve deeper into Disney’s Villainous universe. The game has a nice complexity that may be too much for younger audiences, but that fit is just right for Disney loving adults. Click here to purchase it from Amazon today!

Munchkin

The original was released in 2001 and has spawned several expansions and spin offs, but let’s focus on the commonality between all of them.

Satire.

The most important thing to realize is that Munchkin doesn’t take itself very seriously and neither should you. It is a card game where you start at level one and your goal is to get to level ten. You start by kicking open the door (flipping a card from the door deck to see what’s inside the room) and if it’s a monster you fight it, and if it’s not you keep it to add to your overall awesomeness. If it’s a monster and you defeat it, you level up and search its corpse for treasure by pulling cards from the treasure deck. If it’s not, you can loot the room (pick up another door card and add it to your hand). There are tons of different cards: classes, races, cheats, f*** with your friends (aka curses), armor, companions, etc. All of these get added to your collection to make you the best player in the party.

The game ends when one of you reaches level ten. Here’s a disclaimer though… sometimes this game drags… It is very funny and enjoyable to play, but we like to drop the end level requirement to seven. That way, it still retains its amusing, satirical side without painfully drawing out the process.

Now, let’s talk about the different types. Original Munchkin makes fun of Dungeons and Dragons, but there are also tons of other versions and expansions. I don’t actually even have the original. I have Apocalypse, Pathfinder, and Legends, and I’ve played others that friends own. They can all be combined, but that does tend to make the game last even longer. They each poke fun at their respective genres and some have extra layers to them. Super Munchkin adds super powers while Apocalypse adds seals that slowly peel off and release the end times. There is a Munchkin out there for everyone, and I recommend that you add at least one to your collection.

To order my personal favorites, click on the links: Super Munchkin, Apocalypse, Legends

As always, games are a great way to laugh and connect with your friends. Keep playing and enjoying yourselves!

Remember to check out the chainmaille shop and pick up some unique, handmade gifts. I’m running 10% off until December 15!